DESIGN OF CONCRETE CHIMNEYS VIA BEAM THEORY AND NONLINEAR SHELL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This paper compares the load-bearing capacity of chimneys calculated via beam and shell theory. It becomes apparent that the design via beam theory is on the safe side for the vertical reinforcement of the chosen examples for h/d ratios larger than 30. For non-slender chimneys the design via beam theory overestimates the load distribution around the circumference and yields to wrong results. On the other hand a linear elastic shell calculation underestimates the load-bearing capacity of the chimney. However a realistic distribution of stresses in the cross section of a chimney can still be calculated using shell theory with nonlinear material properties.